My Wife's Very Sherry Trifle

6 slices of swiss roll, about 1cm thick (I use cheap supermarket raspberry version)

Plenty of sherry

200g fruit of your choice (I use frozen summer fruits, defrosted)

4 large egg yolks

15fl oz (440ml) whole milk

1 vanilla pod, cut lenghtways and seeds scraped out (but not thrown away)

1 dessert spoon of caster sugar

1 teaspoon of cornflour

1 bar of chocolate (cadburys flake is perfect)

200ml of double cream

preparation 7 mins • you cook for 14 mins • total time 21 mins + minimum 30 mins for custard to set

Makes 1 medium sized trifle

Watch a 30 second preview of my cook-along video below

If you cannot view the video below, click here to download QuickTime from Apple's website.

This is a Christmas Day classic in our house. Sponge soaked in sherry, juicy mixed fruit, homemade vanilla custard, all topped with whipped cream and chocolate. This recipe is best made the night before as the sherry will soak into the sponge and flavour everything. Making your own custard is easier than you might think too, and useful for lots of Christmas desserts. This is a two part recipe. In part one we make the base and custard and in part two we top it with cream and chocolate.

Large saucepan for the milk

Large mixing bowl for the egg yolks

Trifle dish

Electric whisk

Wooden spoon to stir the custard

Before you start have all the ingredients out and ready. Separate the eggs and put the yolks into a large mixing bowl. Have your electric whisk plugged in. Put a large saucepan on the hob (off the heat) and click here!

Before you start, take the trifle out of the fridge, have your whisk plugged in and the cream and bowl standing by. Now click here!

Put a large saucepan on the hob and add the milk, vanilla pod and vanilla seeds. Turn the heat on to medium and bring to the boil, stirring frequently to stop the milk burning in the bottom of the pan. (If the milk begins to boil before you've finished the next part then just turn the heat down to low).

Whilst the milk is heating up, arrange the slices of swiss roll around the side of your trifle dish, as in the 1st photo on the right. Generously soak with sherry (if you 'accidently' spill plenty into the bowl that is fine!). Add the fruit on top of the swiss roll.

Set the trifle bowl aside and separate the eggs, putting the yolks into a large bowl. Whisk the yolks with 1 dessert spoon of sugar and a good teaspoon of cornflour until combined. By now your milk should have come up to the boil, so remove the vanilla pod, leaving just the tiny seeds. Whilst whisking, slowly pour the milk into the egg mixture. Once all the milk has been added, pour the whole lot back into the saucepan and return to the hob on a medium heat. Stir the custard continuously as it comes up to the boil. As soon as the pan starts bubbling, turn the heat down and stir until the custard is thick enough to coat the spoon.

Turn the heat off and pour the custard all over the trifle. Cover the surface of the custard with cling film and chill until set.

Once the custard has set, pour 200ml of double cream into a mixing bowl and whisk until the cream is nice and thick, but still spreadable. Put dollops of cream on top of the custard and smooth over with a spatula or palate knife. Finally, crumble some chocolate on topand chill until you are ready to dive in!

I hope you enjoy it.

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